Alphus pat



(No Model.)

A. FAY

FENCE.

Patented Dec. 7, 1886.

Q/VLMWMQQ UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

ALPHUS FAY, OF COLUMBIA, TENNESSEE.

FENCE.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 353,741, dated December 7, 1886.

Application filed July 17, 1886. Serial No. 208,289. (No model.)

To all whom it may concern.-

Be it known that I, ALPHUs FAY, a citizen of the United States, residing at Columbia, in the county of Maury and State of Tennessee, have invented a new and useful Improvement in Fences, of which the following is a specification.

My invention relates to an improvement in fences; and it consists in the peculiar construction and combination of devices that will be more fully set forth hereinafter, and particularly pointed out in the claim.

Inthe'drawings, Figure l is a side elevation of a fence embodying my improvement. Fig. 2 is a horizontal sectional view of the same, taken on the line at x of Fig. 1. Fig. 3 is a vertical sectional view taken on the line y y of Fig. 1. Fig. 4 is a similar view taken on theline zz of Fig. 1. Fig. 5 is an enlarged View in perspective of the top end of the post. Fig. 6 is an enlarged View of one of the wire loops.

A and B represent a series of vertical posts, which are arranged alternately on opposite sides of a straight line. The upper end of each postis provided with a projecting tenon, O, and the upper ends of the posts are inclined downwardly toward their inner sides, thereby forming inclined shoulders D. The said loops have their upper portions, immediately below the tenons, twisted together for a slight distance, as at F, and the ends of the wires that form theloops are twisted together on the outer sides of the tenons, as shown at G.

H represents a series of fence-rails, which are arranged in a straight line between the posts A and B, and the ends of the said rails are inserted in the loops E. The ends of the rails of one panel of the fence rest upon the rails of the adjacent panels of the fence, and thereby the rails are slightly inclined, as shown in Fig. 1.

I represents wire loops, which pass transversely around the posts between the ends of the rails H and embrace the wire loop E, in which the said rails are suspended. The outer ends of the wires of which the loops I are formed are twisted together on the outer sides of the posts, and the wire loops E are thus drawn tightly against the inner sides of the posts and are securely fastened thereto. This prevents the panels from swinging in the wind and adds greatly to the stability of the fence. In order to prevent the loop E from moving laterally and thus disengaging the ends of the rails H, I bend those portions of the loop I which encompass the said loops E together on opposite sides of the said loops, thus forming clamping'armsK, in which the loops E are secured. By thus securing the suspending-loops E against lateral vibration the rails H are prevented from moving, and are thus firmly attached to the posts and prevented from becoming disengaged by the loops. By arranging the posts alternately on opposite sides of the straight line of fence-rails the fence is braced from opposite sides, thus rendering it much stronger and more durable than when the parts are all placed on one side.

L represents a wire which is strung through the loops E, between the twisted portions F thereof, and the tenons on the upper ends of the posts. 1

I am aware that it has been heretofore proposed to construct a wire fence in which the ends of the fence-rails have been attached to the posts alternately on opposite sides thereof by means of loops which are suspended from the posts and are attached thereto at their up per and lower ends, and this I disclaim.

I am also aware that it has been heretofore proposed to construct a wire fence in which the ends of the rails have been attached to the posts alternately on opposite sides thereof by stakes which are driven into the ground on the outer sides of the rails, but such is not my construction, and this, also, I disclaim.

Having thus described my invention, I claim' The combination, in a fence, of the posts having the tenons on the upper ends, the wire loops E, having their upper ends secured on the tenons and suspended therefrom, the rails H, having their ends inserted in and supported by the loops E, and the wire loops I, encompassing the posts, and the loops E between the meeting ends of the rails, the said loops I having the clamping-arms K bearing against opposite sides of the loops E to prevent lateral vibration of the latter, for the purpose set forth, substantially as described.

In testimony that I claim the foregoing as my own I have hereto affixed my signature in the presence of two witnesses.

ALPHUS FAY. W'itnesses:

G. D. Voonnnss, ROBERT M. GREENE. 

